It’s official…2014 is out, 2015 is in! But before we move on to all things new and exciting, I wanted to do a little revisiting, in part to look back on the wonderful year that 2014 was, and in part to have this post for posterity, and in case I ever need a reminder of some awesome things I did last year. If you hate those “me, me, me” posts, then this one may not be for you. Sorry (not really).

2014 started out pretty well for me, unlike 2013 (credit card fraud galore!), I kicked off the year with a brand new video segment I created in partnership with Yorkdale and Max Kopanygin, called Styled By Nelia. Since January, we shot 9 segments, with 9 amazing retailers, and plan to shoot lots more in 2015. Since I truly hate to be on video, this was a huge challenge for me, but I got more and more comfortable with every episode we shot…and hope to get a little better with each video going forward.

In February, I had the pleasure of participating in a photoshoot for eLUXE’s Spring 2014 lookbook, featuring Canadian bloggers. And as I will find out later, this will not be the last collab with eLUXE that I would shoot in 2014.

After 8 weeks of sticking to the Olay Regenerist Luminous routine, I was pretty impressed with the line and what it did for my skin. Over the course of my trial, I met other bloggers who were using the same products, and learned that while we all loved the results, we also had different opinions on our faves from the line, and what did and didn’t work.

And though I’d already shared my personal experience with Olay Regenerist Luminous, I wanted to give you a chance to try it the line for yourselves and (hopefully) love it as much as I do. Sounds good? Here’s how you can win one of five Olay Regenerist Luminous line sets (Brightening Cream Cleanser, Tone Perfecting Cream, and Dark Circle Correcting Hydraswirl).

I want to make it as easy as possible, so for this giveaway you can do all four, or just one of the below – it’s up to you.

1. Comment below, and let me know which Olay Regenerist Luminous product you are most excited to try.

3. Comment on our Facebook page sharing why you would like to win an Olay Regenerist Luminous prize pack.

4. Comment on my Olay Instagram photo sharing why you would like to win an Olay Regenerist Luminous prize pack.

Remember, you can do all four, or just one of the above and you will still be entered to win a prize pack! You don’t even have to follow me on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram…but of course, I appreciate it if you do.

This giveaway is open to Canadian readers only and will close on Sunday at 11:59pm EST. Good luck!

The winners have now been chosen and contacted. Thank you for entering!

Okay, guys! It’s now been eight weeks since the first time I tried Olay Regenerist Luminous line, and it’s time to tell all! Who’s excited?!

To recap, at the beginning of my Olay journey, my main concern was the sun damage around my eyes and cheeks. Having those pesky dark spots on my face meant that I always looked extra tired and had to use a ton of concealer to cover them up. I also had some dry spots and redness here and there, and a bit of darkness under my eyes courtesy of way too many long nights working on the blog.

For the last eight weeks, I used the Olay Regenerist Luminous line religiously and without much effort – each and every morning and evening – cleanser, moisturizer, and eye cream, followed by sunscreen to make sure that I don’t accidentally undo all of the good work that the products were doing to my face. So what’s the verdict? Here are my thoughts:

Tone Perfecting Crème

The moisturizing Tone Perfecting Crème was my favourite product out of the three. My skin looked brighter and more even almost immediately, the texture was very smooth, and made make-up go on seamlessly…but did it actually help fade those dark spots?! Yes, it did! About five weeks into the trial, I noticed some of the darkest spots begin to fade. Eight weeks later, while I still have lots of freckles around my eyes, they are definitely lighter, and less prominent. Sadly, once the (sun) damage is done, it’s incredibly difficult to erase it completely, but just by using this great moisturizer, I was able to see definite improvement in my overall skin tone, and watch my sun spots fade. Because I loved this moisturizer a lot, I will keep it in my daily routine, and hopefully, those spots will eventually become history.

Dark Circle Correcting Hydraswirl

What I liked most about this eye cream, is that it wasn’t sticky or heavy, and was very easy to apply. My under eye area felt hydrated, and looked firmer after eight weeks of using the cream. As for the dark circles… sadly, I did not notice enough of a difference to say that they disappeared. The cream contains light-reflecting particles which gave the appearance of illuminating the under eye area, but I don’t think it actually made my dark circles lighter. I will still continue using this eye cream, because of its hydrating properties, and because of how much firmer my under eye area looks after using it. It’s a keeper.

Regenerist Luminous Brightening Cream Cleanser

While this cleanser left my skin looking brighter and feeling extra hydrated, my two-week mark concerns remained valid at the end of my Olay journey. Because of its creamy texture, this cleanser did not feel very…cleansing. And after washing my face with it, I still had grime and dirt on my face that needed to be washed away. If you don’t wear much makeup on a daily basis, this cleanser might work better for you, but in my case, I definitely need something a little more potent.

Overall, I was very pleased with my Olay Regenerist Luminous experience. Participating in the program meant that I had to use the products for at least eight weeks, and that I could not give up halfway… and I’m so glad that I stuck to it! Seeing my dark spots begin to fade was a very exciting development, as was the photo shoot and video shoot that followed my trial. I got to hang out with some really cool beauty bloggers on set in Toronto, where we all showed off our newly radiant skin, and shared our experiences. It was really fun, but also educational. If I learned anything from this program, it’s how super important it is to take care of your skin. Sunscreen is not optional… even in the winter! It’s much easier to protect yourself from sun damage than get rid of it later on. So, please, don’t forget to slather it on every morning before you leave the house. Your skin will thank you!

So this is my Olay Regenerist Luminous experience in a nutshell. Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have, and I’ll do my best to answer in the comments. Thanks for reading!

Disclosure: This post was brought to you by Procter & Gamble via Glam Media Canada. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Procter & Gamble.

This is part 2 of 3 Olay Regenerist Luminous Posts. To see the “after” photo, please click here.

It’s been two weeks since I’ve started my #BestBeautiful journey with Olay. My new routine has been pretty easy to follow… as easy as 1, 2, 3, actually. Each morning and evening I wash my face with the Brightening Cream Cleanser to brighten and exfoliate, followed by Tone Perfecting Cream to hydrate and smooth my skin, and the Dark Circle Correcting Hydraswirl to reduce the appearance of dark circles. And though it’s still too early to see those pesky spots disappear, here are my thoughts on the Olay Regenerist Luminous line so far.

The Good:

First of all, I must say that I just love the smell and texture of all three products. The Tone Perfecting Cream in particular felt silky smooth and super luxurious to the touch. My skin feels soft and supple, a lot like it feels after using primer, which makes makeup application a breeze. The Brightening Cream Cleanser is creamy and leaves my skin feeling hydrated.

Dark Circle Correcting Hydraswirl didn’t make my dark circles disappear (yet?), but I did notice a difference after a couple of days, which was pretty cool. Overall, my complexion looks brighter and more radiant after every application.

Not My Cup of Tea:

Although I will continue to use the Brightening Cream Cleanser for the remaining weeks, I do wish it was more foamy. To get my face completely clean, I feel like I have to wash it twice in order to remove all makeup and impurities.

Also, while I really like the Dark Circle Correcting Hydraswirl eye cream so far, I could do without the glitter-like particles, which can be a bit too much at times.

Two-week Verdict:

Overall, I am very impressed with the Olay Regenerist Luminous line. Following the regimen is very easy, and my skin’s been responding really well to the products. I love how smooth my skin feels and how bright it looks after every application! As for those spots, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. Six more weeks to go!

Stay tuned for more updates, and follow the hashtag #BestBeautiful for my Olay journey.

Disclosure: This post was brought to you by Procter & Gamble via Glam Media Canada. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Procter & Gamble.

A few years ago, le bf and I went to Mexico, where I had an unfortunate sunscreen accident. I don’t know how, but I mistook a bottle of insect repellant for sunscreen, which became apparent after my skin started to turn reeeeally red. Ever since that trip, my face has been something of a constellation map, a really annoying and inconvenient map of freckles on my cheeks and around my eyes.

As someone who’s nearing 30, I do my best to take good care of my skin, and I’ve been pretty lucky so far. My pores are visible, but aren’t exceptionally large; I get occasional breakouts, but nothing too severe…but those spots, or sun damage as my dermatologist keeps telling me, definitely make me look older and more tired. So when I was asked to try the new Olay Regenerist Luminous line, I jumped at the chance. Even a remote possibility of fading some of my sun spots made me excited to participate in this program. And having used and loved Olay products before, I really wanted to give the Olay Regenerist Luminous line a go.

I have to admit, I’ve tried other tone-correcting products in the past, but without the discipline to keep going, I would give up halfway after not seeing quick results. This time, I’m 100% committed. Over the next eight weeks, I will use Olay Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream and Olay Regenerist Dark Circle Correcting Hydraswirl religiously – twice a day! No more giving up halfway. And hopefully, at the end of the trial, I’ll see a noticeable difference. To make it easier for you to follow my skincare journey, I took this makeup-less before selfie. This is my starting point. I’m not expecting my skin to look like this once my trial is over, but I do expect to see less prominent sun spots, and not as much darkness under my eyes. I hope that after using Olay Regenerist Luminous products for eight weeks (combined with sunscreen, of course), I’ll be able to stop wearing as much makeup to cover up my sun spots, and will be able to give my skin a break more often. Luminous skin, here I come!

So tell me, have you ever used tone perfecting creams or serums? Share your tips in the comments, and follow the hashtag #BestBeautiful for my Olay journey!

Disclosure: This post was brought to you by Procter & Gamble via Glam Media Canada. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Procter & Gamble.

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WHO IS NELIA?

Nelia Belkova is a Toronto-based fashion and lifestyle blogger by night and a financial analyst by day. She loves to travel, read gossip sites, eat sweets, and cuddle up to her husband and her cat on the couch. Read More…